Quite a small revival of summer activity was observable over the recent Christmas holidays on the roxd. Fortunately the beginning of the three days' winter festival was favoured by bright sunshine, clear roads, and a sparkling frost whitening every twig and stone with the typical de-ceration of the season, and scores of riders tured out a-wheel, o" an ideal December diy. Tuen came fogs, clond-, mad, rain, winds, and every item of unpleasant. ness characteristic of the worst side of the English climate, but cyclists are grateful For two days' oasis in the desert of wintry desolation.
An interesting case has been before provincial County Court in which a young lady sued a farmer for damage done to her dicycle vya bull. The Indy had for a short time left her machine by the roadside, ud the animal which did the damage strayed from the field where it was supposed to be, on to.the road and tossed up the bicyel to its considerable detriment, The judge exonerated the owner of the bull, on the ground that if cyclists left their machines by the side of the hizhrond without protection they must t+ke the consequences. If the wild beast had crashed into a carriage for yored a horse, the result might have been different, but it was only one of these wretched cycles that ws damaged. law which prescribes that animals shall not be permitted to stray upon the highway was entirely overlooked or ignored.
The time when log-sided justice is done cyclists is bound to pass away as the newer generation of law dispel-ers rises to authority, for the universality of cycling is 40 pronounced that the coming race, without exaggeration, will be eyclis's to a msn, and a bicycle will be as ordinary a chattel as a pair of boots and almost as nec:
present we have Mr. Com; Kerr's recent decision that a bicycle is not a necessity. No doubt ho is right, and the claim for it to be considered such by tradesman who had been dealing with a youth under age was not held good. But the spectacle of this judge congratulating himself that isation has not yet become rade as to mukden bicycle a necessity ridiculous ix an Irishman's degradation—upwards—to become a cyclist.
The craze for winter races has nearly died out on the Continent as well as in England, and even the legitimate open-air cycle racing has been found of late not to bes paying game. At present in L-ndon there is a contest between women riders in progress, styled a world's champions by the proprietors of the Aquarium, where the "sport" is provided, but no other indoor racing is announced for winter.
The Essex Cycling Union has taken steps in support of the recent agitation agains road-racing, and will no longer adjudicate upon the performances of any wf its members upon the road. The Union line between what may be done on the road by licensed riders and what may not is very finely drawn, and with a microscopic care, not far remote from that needed in the delicate occupation of hair-splitting. Un nay not race. Union men simultaneously for star jed all those who reach that standard are equally rewarded ae Those riders who have smooth-covered tires and desire to ride in the muddy season without "riy farr of side-clip, would well to purchase a Dunlop-Welch nonslipping band. Riders will find it " simple matter to fix the band themselves if they fully carry out the instructions givei.
London, 31st December.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.